Vapor electric lamp



July 10, 1928.

1,676,792 R. D. MAILEY VAPOR ELECTRIC LAMP Filed Jan. 17, 1924 IN VENTOR Patented July 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROY D. MAILEY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITT EirEC- TRIO COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

VAPOR ELECTRIC LAMP.

Application filed January 17, 1924. Serial No. 686,704.

My present invention relates to methods and means for starting vapor electric are devices in which the vaporization of the arc path medium is initiated or accelerated for the purpose of accelerating the attainment of temperature equilibrium of the device by means of heat generated with current from the lamp current main or current from an auxiliary source. It relates further to such an apparatus in which the heating coil is automatically deenergized upon the attainment of normal operation of the lamp and the flow of a normal or predetermined current therethrough or attainment of normal voltage across the lamp. It relates particularly to starting heating methods and means for mercury vapor arc lamps but is applicable in the arts generally.

In starting a mercury vapor lamp of the type of which the lamp is tipped to cause the mercury to flow and form an electrical connection between the electrodes thereof and then tipped back into the normal position an arc is formed between the mercury and the anode as the mercury recedes to its normal position. Upon the striking of the are usually there is Sufficient mercury vaporized thereby and electrons emanated to form a conducting path between the mercury and the anode and to sustain the arc. However, an appreciable amount of time elapses between the formation of the arc in its incipient stage and the development of the normal current path and complete attainment of normal operating characteristics within the lamp. For example in a high temperature quartz mercury arc lamp such as is used for a source of ultra violet light and to which I shall describe the application of my invention in this application the period between the forming of the incipient arc and the attainment of normal operating conditions is in the neighborhood of five minutes. With the used my invention I am able to cut down this starting period appreciably. In the apparatus of my invention an electric heater which is positioned aboutthe mercury chamber of the lamp is brought into connection with a source of electric current, an electric path is established through the lamp by causing the mercury thereof to connect the cathode and the anode by momentarily depressing the anode end of the lamp and the heater is automatically disconnected from such source only upon the attainment of normal operating conditions within the lamp.

It is an object of my invention to provide methods and means for cutting down the arc establishment time in a vapor electric device.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide heating means for the, mercury chamber of the lamp.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide means for automatically disconnecting said heating means upon the establishment of desired operating conditions in the lamp.

In the application of my invention as hereinafter fully described I use in one form a solenoid which is connected across the supply mains of or in parallel with a high temperature mercury vapor lamp for disconnecting a heating coil after the lamp has attained equilibrium. In another form of the application of my invention a solenoid connected in series in one of the supply mains of such a lamp is used to effect the deenergization of a lamp heating coil upon attainment of normal operating conditions in the lamp.

In the drawing which forms a part of this application and in which like numbers refer to like parts:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a pivotally mounted mercury vapor lamp having a heating coil connected through a switch across the mains thereof and means for automatically closing said switch upon the tilting of said lampand the establishing of a current therethrough between its terminals and automatic means for disconnecting said heater upon the attainment of normal operating current within the lamp.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a similar device in which the heating coil is automatically connected in shunt across the mains of the lamp.

In Fig.1 lamp 1 is pivotally mounted to the vertical surface 5 and fixed to panel 3 which is pivotally connected at 4 to said surface 5, the spring 7 fixed to panel 3 at 8 and to surface 5 at 9 moves said panel 3 and the lamp 1 inter the normal operating position of the lamp, the stop- 6 limiting said movement at the proper joint, and the handle 46 serves for moving the lamp and panel to cause the mercury 13 to flow to connect the cathode terminal 12 with the Ill anode terminal 14. The negative side 16 of the supply main is connected through one side of switch 17, lead 18, cathode inductance 19, lead 20, terminal 22, and lead 21 to the cathode terminal 12. The positive main 15 is connected through the other side of switch 17, leads 26 and 28, solenoid 29,

variable stabilizing resistance 31, lead 32, terminal 33, lead 34, to the anode 14. In operable relation to solenoid 29 is pivotally mounted armature switch 35 which through its pivot 36 is connected through lead 41, and terminal 25, to the electrical heater 2 which is situated about the cathode chamber of lamp 1 and the other end of which is connected to terminal 24, to which is connected lead 23 which connects with ma n 16 through lead 18 and switch 17. Connected between leads 26 and 28 is the terminal 27 which is in operable relation with armatureswitch 35 and completes a circuit to said electric heater when in contact with said terminal 27. Spring 37 fixed at 39 to the surface 5 and at 40 to armature 35 serves to move said armature into the open position, the movement being limited by stop 38.

In the operation of my invention as shown in Fig. 1 and described in the above paragraph when it is desired to use the lamp thereof, switch 17 in the direct current supply mains 15 and 16 is closed and panel 46 of panel 3 is pressed to cause the mercury 13 to flow and connect cathode 12 with anode 14 and when released spring 7 moves the panel 3 and lamp 1 into the normal operating position of the lamp whereby the mercury 13 flows back and an arc is struck between mercury 13 and anode 14.

Upon the flow of current through the lamp and the mains and consequently through solenoid 29, the latter is energized and it then actuates armature-switch 35, moving it into contact with contact 27 whereby heater 2 is connected across the circuit mains and energized. vWhen normal operating conditions have been attained in the lamp the resistance therethrough has increased and the current flow therethrough has decreased. This results in a decrease in the current flowing through solenoid 29 and spring 37 which is designed to meet this condition is enabled to move armature-switch 35 against the decreased strength of the solenoid whereby the heater circuit is opened and the heater deenergized.

In Fig. 2, lamp 1 as in Fig. 1 is mounted on panel 3 which is pivotally fixed at 4 to vertical surface 5. The cathode 12 is connected to the negative mains 16 through one side of switch 17, lead 18, inductance 19, lead 20 terminal 22, and lead 21. Anode 14 of the lamp is connected to the positive mains 15 through one side of switch 17, lead 26, variable resistance 31, lead 32, terminal 33, and lead 34. The resistance heating coil 2 is connected on one side from the negative side of switch 17, through lead 18, lead 23, to terminal 24 and on the other side from the positive side of switch 17 through lead 26, lead 27, contact 28, armature-switch 35, pivot connection 36, lead 41, to terminal 25, the spring 37 fixed at one end to armatureswitch 35 on one side of pivot 36 opposite to contact 28 and at its other end at 39 to vertical surface 5 tends to hold said armature 35 in the position in which contact is made between it (armature-switch 35) and contact 28. Across the terminals of the lamp, the solenoid 49 is connected from lead 20 through lead 47 on one side and from lead 32 through lead 48 on its other side. This solenoid, when switch 17 is closed and lamp 2 has attained its normal operating characteristics, in which the voltage therethrough haaattained its normal value, functions to actuate said armature-switch 35 to move it from the position in which it contacts with contact 28 for the purpose of disconnecting and deenergizing heating coil 2.

In the operation of the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 2, to start the lamp switch 17 is closed and handle 46 of panel 3 depressed to form mercury connection between cathode 12 and anode 14 and then released -to start an are between the mercury 13 and anode 14 as the mercury again flows away from the anode.

On the closing of the switch 17 heating coil 2 is energized and by heating the mercury 13 of the lamp the starting thereof is accelerated through the rapid production of a vapor mercury path of the required conducting characteristics. As the mercury is vaporized the pressure in the body of the lamp increases with the result that the mercury body 13 is moved into the cathode chamber 42 of the lamp. The solenoid 49 is so designed that the strength thereof upon the movement of mercury 13 into chamber 42 and the increase in the voltage across the terminals of the lamp and consequently across the solenoid attains a value great enough to move armature 35 against spring 37 from contact with contact 28 whereby the heating coil 2 is deenergized. Said solenoid 49 will continue to hold the heater circuitopen as long as normal operating Voltage is maintained across the terminals of the lamp but will allow spring 37 to move armature 35 to again close the heater circuit should the voltage drop materially and again in turnopen it upon resumption'of normal operating conditions in the lamp, while the mains are properly energized and switch 17 closed.

I claim:

' 1. In combination with an electric Vapor arc device having a positive temperature coefficient of resistance, terminal electrodes therefor, an electric heater connected through a switch across said electrodes, means for starting current flow through the device when connected to a current source,

and means responsive to flow of starting current in said device for closing said switch and for opening said switch upon the attainment of predetermined or normal current conditions in said device.

2. In combination with an electric-vapor arc device having a positive temperature coefficient of resistance, terminal electrodes therefor, an electric heater connected through a switch across said terminals, means for starting current flow through the device when connected to a source of current, means responsive to flow of starting current in said device for closing said switch, and means for opening said switch upon the fall of the current flow in said device to a predetermined normal value, said switch closing means being adapted to permit the switch to be opened upon the occurrence of such said fall of the current flow in the device.

In combination with a vapor are device having a fluent electrical conductor therein and having a positive temperature coefiicient of resistance, terminal electrodes for the device, a mounting for permitting the tilting of the device to cause said fluent conductor to short circuit the terminals of the device to start an arc therebetween when connected to a source of current, means for returning the device from the tilted position, an electric heater connected through a switch across said terminals, means responsive to current flow in said device for closing said switch upon the initiation of passage of current therethrough, and means for opening said switch upon the fall of the rate of current flow to a predetermined or normal value, said switch closing means being adapted to permit the opening of the switch upon such said fall in the rate of current flow.

4. In combination with a vapor are device having a fluent electrical conductor therein and having a positive temperature coeflicicnt of resistance, terminal electrodes for the device, a mounting for permitting the tilting of the device to cause said fluent conductor to short circuit the terminals of the device to cause said fluent conductor to short circuit the terminals of the device to start an arc therebetween when connected to a source of current, an electric heater connected through a switch across said terminals, means responsive to current flow in said device for closing said switch upon the initiation of passage of current therethrough, and means for opening said switch upon the fall of the rate of current flow to a predetermined or normal value, said switch closing means being adapted to permit the opening of the switch upon such said fall in the rate of current flow.

5. In combination, an electric vapor arc device movably mounted on a support, a spring fixed to said support and connected with said device and a stop connected to said device for holding said device in normal position, current mains for said device, a solenoid in one of the mains ofsaid device, an electric heater connected through a switch and across said mains, an armature associated with said switch and in operable relation with said solenoid whereby said solenoid tends to close said switch, a spring connected to said armature tending to hold said switch open, and a stop for said switch.

Signed at Hoboken in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey this 16 day of January A. D. 1924.

- ROY D. MAILEY. 

